Moon and Starlight at Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung... Palace and Royal Tomb Events Resume

Cultural Heritage Administration to Operate Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour and Gyeongbokgung Royal Guard Changing Ceremony from This Month
Operations Proceed with Reduced Participants, Visitor Temperature Checks, and Hand Sanitizer Stations for Infection Control

Gyeongbokgung Palace Night Special Viewing

The Cultural Heritage Administration's Palace and Royal Tombs Division announced on the 19th that, following the transition of the COVID-19 response system to 'social distancing in daily life,' they will resume events such as the Gyeongbokgung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony and the Joseon Royal Tombs Rituals, which had been suspended since February 27.

Five major events will be held this month. These include the Gyeongbokgung Palace Royal Guard Changing Ceremony (from May 20, year-round except Tuesdays), Gyeongbokgung Saenggwabang (May 27 to June 29, except Tuesdays), Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour (May 27 to June 8, except Tuesdays), Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (May 28 to June 21, Thursday to Sunday), and Gyeongbokgung Daytime Palace Music Concert (May 30 to July 12, weekends).

Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour

Next month, events will include Changdeokgung Humanities Special Lectures (June 5 and June 12), Changgyeonggung Daytime Palace Music Concert (June 6 to June 28, weekends), Gyeongbokgung Night Special Viewing (June 10 to July 12, Wednesday to Sunday), Gyeongbokgung Suragan Tasting Experience (June 10 to July 12, Wednesday to Sunday), Gyeongbokgung Night Palace Music Concert (June 10 to July 12, Wednesday to Sunday), and Deoksugung Pungnyu (June 12, June 19, June 26), among others.

All events will be conducted with thorough quarantine management, including reduced participant numbers, temperature checks for visitors, provision of hand sanitizers, mandatory mask-wearing, and disinfection of event venues. The Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour will change its format from gathering at a single location to a walking-through style. The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony will also mark viewing spots to maintain distance between spectators.

Changing of the Royal Guard Ceremony

The Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (30,000 KRW), Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour (50,000 KRW; tickets available on Auction), and Suragan Tasting Experience (to be announced later) will operate on an online advance paid reservation basis.

The Joseon Royal Tombs Rituals, which resumed on the 7th with minimal attendance at Sunneung (Queen Gonghye, consort of King Seongjong) within Paju Samneung, will continue to be held with restrictions. General visitors must wear masks and maintain safe distances during viewing.

The Sunneung Ancestral Rite Held at Samneung in Paju

An official stated, “We decided to resume palace events and royal tomb rituals to relieve the public fatigue accumulated from intensive social distancing and to encourage social and economic activities,” adding, “We will gradually expand related events while strictly adhering to daily quarantine guidelines.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.